PathwaysConnect: A Guide to Services & Supports

Services & Supports

A Guide to

Services & Supports Services & Supports

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PathwaysConnect

Provides a space where family and friend carers can come together in an open and welcoming format to share what they know, learn new skills, create larger support networks and build better self-esteem, confidence and social skills.

Acknowledgement

This booklet has been created from materials developed as part of the Verily Connect project to trial innovative solutions for rural carers of people with dementia and/ or memory problem. Led

by La Trobe University with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

For Further Information

Information in this guide is an overview of the essential information you may require.

For further in-depth information we recommend visiting My Dementia Companion. mydementiacompanion.com.au The My Dementia Companion, CARER Tool is an online app that supports carers through the dementia journey by providing you with personalised, practical and quality guidance.

Contents

What is Dementia?

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Overview of Dementia

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Alzheimers Disease

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Mild Cognitive Impairment

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Is it Dementia?

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The assessment process

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What questions should I ask the Doctor?

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Signs of Dementia

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Overview of the signs of dementia

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Sleeping difficulties

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Wandering

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Sundowning

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Thinking difficulties

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Memory difficulties

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Services & Supports

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When Care at Home Isn’t Possible

Home respite, residential care and palliative care.

When at Home Care Isn’t Possible

Short term residential aged care

Information about short term stays or residential respite care

Selecting a residential aged care facility

Things to think about when choosing a residential aged care facility

Permanent residential aged care

Things to consider about residential aged care facilities

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Services & Supports

Short Term Residential Aged Care

When Care at Home isn’t Possible

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Short term care is available in some aged care facilities and is called “residential respite care”.

Residential respite care can happen on a planned or emergency basis. It can be for few days or a few weeks.

While you have a break from caring, the person you care for has a short stay in a residential aged care facility.

Start with small breaks - Many families and carers find it best to start with small breaks and build up to longer ones. This helps both of you to gain confidence about the experience.

It can be helpful to think about respite as a partnership between yourself and the respite provider, working together to make the most of respite.

Good two-way communication with the respite provider and yourself is important.

Contact My Aged Care for an assessment for residential respite care. The person you care for may be eligible to access residential respite care for up to 63 days each financial year.

Respite care can be extended in lots of 21 days if an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment recommends this.

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When Care at Home isn’t Possible

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The availability of services varies from region to region and the assessment of the person you care for will determine their needs in line with the help available in your area.

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If you need emergency respite care, phone your local Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre.

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Does residential respite care cost anything?

You won’t have to pay a means-tested care fee or accommodation fee, but you are likely to be asked to pay a basic daily fee and perhaps a booking fee.

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Caring for someone can be very rewarding but it can also be physically and emotionally tiring, so it is important to take regular breaks. There are additional kinds of respite, other than short-term stays in residential aged care facilities.

Additional types of respite include in-home respite, centre-based day respite, overnight or weekend respite, community-access respite and flexible respite.

Services & Supports

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Services & Supports

Selecting a Residential Aged Care Facility

When Care at Home isn’t Possible

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Many aged care homes offer full support to people with dementia. Some of these homes have separate dementia sections and if so, they are called “dementiaspecific”.

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A good aged care home will have activities that people with dementia can engage in. They will also be secure so a person cannot wander and become lost.

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It is helpful to visit different residential aged care facilities and take a tour. Bring along a family member or friend to support you. Meet with staff.

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Dementia Australia has made a checklist of dementia-friendly design features - in the Which residential facility? Residential care and dementia helpsheets: www.dementia.org.au/resources/helpsheets#Residential-care-and-dementia Some questions to ask: • What is the staff to patient ratio?

• When are registered nurses on duty?

• What activities are available for people living with dementia?

Is the residential aged care facility close by to the person’s family and friends so that they can easily visit?

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Does the person with dementia have any specific language, cultural, or religious needs and can these be met by the residential aged care facility?

How much will it cost?

Some different kinds of fees include: • A basic daily care fee – a contribution for day-today living costs such as meals, laundry, heating and cooling, nursing and personal care More fee types: • A means-tested care fee – an extra contribution based on an assessment of your income and assets • An accommodation payment - the Government may contribute to this, depending on your income and assets • Fees for extra services that you request

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There are rules in place around the charging of fees.

To find out what you may need to pay, or to request an Assets and Income Assessment form and information contact My Aged Care.

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No one is obliged to accept an offer if they decide they do not want it. For example, a person may decline the first offer of an available bed.

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When Care at Home isn’t Possible

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If the first offer you accept is not your first preference, there might be a possibility later to transfer to the facility that is preferred when a bed becomes available. Stay in contact with the preferred facility to negotiate a future transfer.

However, it is best to keep the number of moves or transfers to a minimum because moving can be very unsettling for a person with dementia.

After a person you care for has moved into residential aged care, there will still be a process of adjustment – for both the person with dementia and also for you.

Separating can be very emotional and may stir strong feelings in both of you.

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Use your support networks to help you manage the transition

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Remember that you don’t need to give up your caring role altogether

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Residential care facilities value the ongoing involvement of carers, family and friends. Work with the facility to discuss which caring tasks you would like to continue doing.

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Services & Supports

Permanent Residential Aged Care

When Care at Home isn’t Possible

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If a person with dementia is no longer able to live at home, they can receive care by living in a residential aged care facility. Aged care homes or nursing homes are other names for residential aged care facilities.

Making the decision to find an alternative to caring at home for a person with dementia may be a very difficult decision. You may have a range of feelings, such as loss or guilt. Sometimes people feel relief after making a decision.

Although difficult, it is better to make a decision sooner rather than waiting for a situation to reach crisis point before taking action.

When choosing a residential aged care facility, first find information and get support. Speak to your GP (doctor), health services and council about the options available.

Dementia Australia, Carers Australia, Carer Gateway, and My Aged Care may also be able to provide information and support. Visit residential aged care facilities to learn more about them.

Residential aged care facilities may be privately owned or run by the government, a local council, or a church or charity organisation.

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When Care at Home isn’t Possible

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A facility that is subsidised by the government requires each potential resident to have an assessment by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) through My Aged Care. Privately owned facilities do not require an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment.

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If the person who is seeking a place in a residential aged care facility is 65 years or older, contact My Aged Care.

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If the person who is seeking a place in a residential aged care facility is 64 years or younger, contact the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

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It is okay to ask for help in finding and applying to a residential age care facility. Help may come from your GP (doctor), community nurse, Dementia Australia, Carers Australia, Carer Gateway or My Aged Care.

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You may want to seek help from family or friends in working out your options and making a decision

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Support for Carers Find out how to access services and support for carers.

Support for Carers

Carer support groups

Get and give support to people in a similar situation to you

Carer Gateway

What is Carer Gateway, and how can it help?

Carers Australia

Who are Carers Australia, and how can they help?

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Carer Support Groups

Support for Carers

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A carer support group is a group of carers who meet to support one another.

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There may be dementia-specific carer support groups or the group may include carers of people who have a range of different conditions.

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Carer support groups can offer practical and emotional support. The group may also be an opportunity to share your experiences. You could also learn information to help you in your role as a carer.

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Some carer groups offer opportunities to develop skills. Some groups have social outings for the enjoyment of members.

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Attending a group is usually free. Some groups may offer telephone support.

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Your nearest health service or council will have details about groups that are available in your community.

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Carers Australia and Dementia Australia provide information about carers groups

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Services & Supports

Carer Gateway

Support for Carers

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The nation-wide carer service funded by the Australian Government is the Carer Gateway.

On their website and via a phone service, Carer Gateway provides practical information and resources for carers.

To access the Carer Gateway, call them between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. The number is a free call.

Or, on the website you can request a call back.

Carer Gateway provides practical advice and resources on topics like: • Different types of carers and the different stages of caring • Tips about how to care for yourself And also advice and resources about: • How to manage care on a daily basis • Financial matters and legal rights • Planning for and managing an emergency situation Carer Gateway can also help you to find support services using the “Find a service” tool on the website. There are options to tailor your search to meet your needs.

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Carers Australia

Support for Carers

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Carers Australia is the national peak body representing Australia’s unpaid carers, advocating on their behalf to influence policies and services at a national level.

Carers Australia works collaboratively with partners, member organisations and state and territory Carers Associations, to deliver a range of essential national carer services.

Each state and territory of Australia has its own branch of Carers Australia.

The Carer Advisory Service gives information and advice about carer support and services. The carer advisors can help you with accessing information and resources.

The Carer Advisory Service can guide you to services and supports to help you in your caring role. They can help you find a local carer support group. The Advisory Service is a telephone service and is available from Monday to Friday during business hours.

The National Carer Counselling Program provides short-term counselling with qualified counsellors who understand the kinds of issues that carers can face.

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For Further Information

Information in this guide is an overview of the essential information you may require.

For further in-depth information we recommend visiting My Dementia Companion. mydementiacompanion.com.au The My Dementia Companion, CARER Tool is an online app that supports carers through the dementia journey by providing you with personalised, practical and quality guidance.

dementiaconnect.au/pathwaysconnect